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Sikh musicology
chair at Hofstra hailed
WSN Network
NEW YORK: The
Hoftsra University's decision of setting up an endowed Chair to
study and teach Sikh musical traditions at the Department of
Religion has been widely appreciated by the Sikh community. The
Chair will focus on how Sikh music and scripture are historically
intertwined.
The Sardarni Harbans Kaur Chair in Sikh Musicology is a gift from
Hakam Singh, a retired chemist with a lifelong interest in the
subject. The Chair "will add to Hofstra's growing expertise on the
rich traditions of Sikhism", university president Stuart Rabinowitz
said.
California-based Singh defined Sikh musicology as the combination of
Sikh scripture and Indian music. "In Sikhism, music is extremely
important. There are about 6,000 hymns, or ‘shabads', in Sikh
scripture and each hymn is preceded by instructions as to what raga
and musical measure, or taal, it should be sung in."
Hofstra University, on Long Island, already has a Sikh professorship
and has established a Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize. The Sardarni
Kuljit Kaur Bindra Chair in Sikh Studies was created to promote the
academic study of Sikh religion, philosophy, culture and history.
Recently, Hofstra awarded the first Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize to
the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader. The biennial award was
endowed by the family of Ishar Singh Bindra. It recognises efforts
at interfaith dialogue. The $50,000 prize will be presented to the
Dalai Lama on November 18 at a ceremony in India.
11
June,
2008
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